(crossposted at 4gfc.wordpress.com)
Something incredible happened, yesterday. Something that has become so rare in this town, that it has become a fable, a legend, much like unicorns and snow storms. Yesterday, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky filibustered for over twelve hours. He had one simple question for John Brennan, nominee for the head of the CIA: Can American citizens be killed on U.S. soil by drones– with no charges, no trial, no chance at a defence?
For much of the time that he stood, he stood alone. But as word got out that something epic was happening, as the twitter feeds tweeted and the bloggers blogged, and prayer networks formal and informal activated, a few faithful came to stand by his side, to offer their support and brief moments of respite. Mike Lee (Tea Party), Ted Cruz (Tea Party), Marco Rubio (Tea Party/ Republican), Ron Wyden (Democrat, making this a Bi-partisan filibuster), Pat Toomey (Tea Party), John Thune (Republican) and even Mitch McConnel (Republican). I’ve seen it reported that House Repubs showed up to stand with him, though I haven’t yet found a list of whom. Even the ACLU and (you may need to sit for this) Code Pink (!!!) voiced their support of Senator Paul’s stand.
In contrast were those Republicans who sat down to dinner with the President (no sin in and of itself), who left and went home after the dinner, instead of joining Paul on the Senate floor.
Although the MSM– as espected– blacked the story out, Alt Media yet again proved it’s greater value by getting word out.
Perplexing that Rand Paul has to go through this to ask a Nobel Peace Prize winner whether or not he agrees with killing U.S. citizens.
— David Angell (@djangell) March 6, 2013
I am reminded of an earlier stand, now largely forgotten, in these recent years. Before Santelli’s famous speech in Chicago, there was a push for an energy bill in the House. Democrats (lead in those days by De-facto Excommunicate and Heretic Nancy Pelosi), refused to consider the measures brought forward by the Republicans. To the point that the ajourned the House for a Summer Recess– but some few stalwart Republicans stayed behind, taking to the floor one after another even after the cameras were turned off, after the lights were turned off. . . they stayed. And twitter came to the fore then, too, with the #DontGo tag, with Representatives and consituents tweeting to the universe that some Representatives were still trying to do the work they were elected to do. This moment was one of the small points of evolution for what would become the Tea Party– a movement that really started under W., as the PorkBusters! campaign, protesting spending in those days, and then getting this push from the Representatives that stayed behind to try to do their work– the first time many Americans had ever witnessed such a thing. It was only a few months later that Santelli vented his spleen in public, thus Christening the growling restlessness with a name symbolized all the growing discomfort many Americans felt a the time.
I suspect that this moment that Senator Paul has made will be another point of evolution. It will be a hallmark against which future candidates will be judged– did you stand up for the American People and the Constitution when the question of Drones was brought forward? Or did you go watch a basketball game?
Or even, when Rand asked for a “Sense of the Senate” regarding drone usage, were you with Dick Durbin?
The best part was when Rand Paul sought unanimous consent for a sense of the Senate resolution that the President shouldn’t kill American citizens in America — and Democrats, led by Dick Durbin, objected.
— Glenn Reynolds
There have been times that Senator Paul has said or done things that vexed me– but there’s no one who isn’t on that list. This time, however, Paul has shown more principle, more steadfast faith to his Oath, than any other elected politician currently in office at the national level. Thank you, people of Kentucky, for electing such a man that can stand even for us poor serfs here in Marylandistan. Things will get even more interesting, soon, and it is good to know that Senator Paul is a man of solid principle. One of the very few in this town.
There is also an open letter to Senator Paul over at DC Clothesline that you may be interested in signing. Also remember that you’re prayers are far more useful than you may realize.
American Slytherin 